Just Lucky, I Guess: Part 49

Shoulders squared and expression guarded, Nathan gritted his
teeth and watched her go. She flashed him a quick grin, violet
eyes meeting his for just a moment before pivoting sharply and
walking right into the image-induced vision of rubble and out of
his sight. As she stepped through, the psionic null field
dampened their link even further until it was only the faintest
tendril in his mind, but it had been dimmed so much already only
a psi of his caliber could feel the difference. And oh, he could
feel the difference- now he barely had even that connection with
her. Now, he probably couldn't reach her through it if he tried.

He stood there, watching as she walked away from him, just
like she had so many times before. He watched her go, just as he
had so many times before, standing silent and stoic as ever,
until she was gone. He was silent. Calm. Unfeeling. Uncaring.
Emotionless. More machine than man, the ever ruthless general,
and she was just another disposable soldier, walking into the
fortress only he knew how much she feared. He stood there,
watching another woman he loved sacrifice it all for part of his
dream, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it-

With an inarticulate cry, he started towards her, not caring
that the others see the wild panic, his absolute terror. Before
he reached the rubble, though, a strong hand clamped down on his
forearm, yanking him back. He instinctively spun around to meet
the threat, a dangerous growl sounding low in his throat, ready
to unleash his frustration on anyone or anything that got in his
way. He shouldn't have been surprised to see who it was.

"Let me go, damn you, Logan..."

An expression almost like pity flitted across the other man's
grizzled features. "Nate-" Logan paused, searching for
the words, and released his grip on Cable's black clad arm.
"She's got to do this. You know that as well as I do."

The words- and the blistering exchange that followed- were
pitched low, so quietly that only the other could hear, but the
slightly embarrassed expressions on the faces of their companions
left little doubt that the gist- if not the words- of the
conversation was painfully obvious. Ororo, face absolutely blank,
weariness and unease etched onto her lovely features, looked
away, while Kitty and Elisabeth stood nearby, horribly
uncomfortable to be witness to such bare emotion from so private
a man. Elisabeth's brow was furrowed, and it was apparant to any
who happened to look upon her that, weakened as it was from the
proximity of the null-field, her telepathic shielding could
barely keep out the intense emotional storm brewing between the
two men. To avoid the turmoil, to garner strength from his
presence, Kitty walked over to Pete, who alone out of the group
paid the other two men no attention. He stood quietly, arms
crossed, staring blankly into the wall of illusion and memory
he'd so blithely sent his old friend into. She stopped beside him
and waited as well.

This must be how Kitty feels, Domino thought wryly,
blinking, as she stepped though the "solid" rubble into
the bright flouorescent light of a cold steel hallway. Luck,
don't fail me now- The levity abruptly ceased as her eyesight
quickly adapted to the sudden brightness and a scene from her
worst nightmares took shape. She could see down the cold
antiseptic corridor to the cavernous foyer, which split into two
wings. Immediately before it opened up into the foyer, the
hallway ended in a large, ornate doorway- a beautiful fixture
which she knew hid a deadly secret.

Domino suppressed the shiver that crawled down her spine. This
is why I'm here. She very pointedly did not think of
anything, or anyone else, especially the one particular someone
who was waiting for her outside. Get through this, Dom.

A quick glance had assured her of the lack of any guards, but
she still slinked down the hallway untill she reached the gothic
arch separating the hall from the foyer. She stepped into it,
standing stock-still, schooling her muscles into a relaxed state
of readiness. She knew what to do- she'd seen the security tapes-
Tolliver had been sure she was aware of the capacities of his
system. He liked all his people to know what happened to those
who disobeyed him.

A brief pause, then a cone of intense light clicked on
abruptly from overhead, illuminating her body from above. If she
hadn't been expecting it, she would have jerked or ran, and the
system would have been alerted- just as it would have been had
she not paused right at this specific spot- and she would be now
be dead. As it was, she squinted her eyes against the light and
let the bright heat course over her body as it tested her genetic
structure and mutagenic code for a match against those inits
database.

The seconds ticked on like eons, and the heat from the light
grew progressively hotter. It's taking too long, dammit...
Every instinct was urging her to flee, to run, to get the hell
away from there, but she fought against those urges. If she had
any chance, it was in abiding by the rules of the game, and that
meant standing absolutely still and letting the system do its
job.

She swallowed tightly, and as the light grew hotter, her
breath grew tighter in her chest. Beads of persperation rolled
down her forehead, between her breasts, down the small of her
back, and she felt as if she were cooking in the thick black
suit. Perversely, her scalp began to itch, fiercely, and it was
agony not to scratch it. Cursing to herself, she just stood
still, and let the light burn through her.

Finally, after an eternity of searing heat, the hellish light
ceased as abruptly as it had began. She heard the slight click
that she knew denoted permission to pass, and with a soft exhale,
she stepped through, still-drab nails scratching the damnable
itch, hard, and she almost sighed at the sweet sting that
followed. She could tell her albino face was burnt slightly from
the intense heat. Just lovely.

Once through, she turned to the terminal on the other side.
Pulling a tiny device out of one of the pockets on her belt, she
slapped it onto the terminal, trusting more on her luck and
Forge's skill than actual knowledge of the system. She'd spent a
long year trapped here as a prisoner, true, a year when she'd had
plenty of opportunity to observe the workings of this fortress,
but she'd tried her best to put the memories of that year away. Yeah,
and you've been real bloody successful at that, haven't you, Dom?
She thought sourly, but that dark thought was soon replaced with
elation as the lights on the terminal flickered briefly only to
be replaced with a calm, steady glow. All's well. Good.

Forge, you're a genius, she thought, not for the first
time, as the jammer interfaced with the security system, tricking
it into inaction, disengaging this particular doorface without
alerting the mainframe.

Satisfied that the device was functioning properly, Domino
stopped, allowing herself to sag against the wall for a moment in
relief, not wanting to think what might have happened had the
system not let her through. What she might have lost. What she
still had to do here tonight, and what she still might lose- she
bit her lip, the wall of ice around her heart tightening as the
memories threatened to overwhelm the fragile peace she had so
recently found. I hate this friggin' place. Swallowing
tightly, she turned away from the memories and back to her team.

Acutely aware of the others' reactions to his behavior, Nate
had snarled a final curse and consciously turned his back on
Logan, effectively dismissing him. In years past, Cable knew this
would have been an invitation for Logan's temper to surface,
leading to the inevitable fight, the testing and honing of skills
against a respected, if not particularly liked, opponent. Truth
be told, unprofessional as it was, he would have welcomed the
release right then. He was to be disappointed.

"I'm worried about her, too, Nate." Logan's deep
voice resounded softly in his ears, and Cable closed his eyes
against the genuine emotion in his old enemy's voice.

Turning around to face him, Cable forced an ill-fitting mask
of calm back on his features and nodded curtly to the other man.
"I know. It's just-" His words were forgotten as Logan
raised a halting hand, head tilted slightly in a manner he'd come
to associate with keen senses working. "Follow my
lead," Logan whispered, and spun around mid-sentence and
dropped into a defensive posture, teethbared in a feral snarl.

The team moved instinctively into position, forming a tight
phalanx, battle ready at once. The heavy silence was broken by a
low, amused chuckle. "Should have known I couldn't sneak
anything by you, old man." Domino stepped out of the rubble-
quite literally- and looked over her team, satisfied at their
reaction time. She wore the same cocky smile, the same confident
stance, but Cable knew her masks. He looked directly in her eyes,
and the haunted look lurking behind their vivid violet brightness
terrified him. She met his gaze squarely, knowing his thoughts
even without their link, and he was relieved to see the defiance
spark in her stare.

Logan relaxed immediately, walking up to her and placing a
heavy hand on her slim, muscled shoulder, chestnut eyes twinkling
warmly. "Glad ta see ya, darlin'. Ya had us worried."

Domino took a shaky breath. "Worrying's a waste of time,
Logan." She caught a glimpse of Kitty behind Logan, trying
to bite back a smile, and she held back her own laughter.
Apparantly she wasn't the only student he'd worn that particular
phrase out with, then.

"Seems I've heard that somewhere before," he
acknowledged with a smile. "How was it?"

She snorted. "The damn thing almost didn't let me
through." Cable flinched, and she looked away, sliding
ungloved fingers through perspiration-matted hair. "But hey-
you know what they say about almost." No one spoke.

She grimaced. "Glad to see you, too, runt. Yeah, we're
good to go. Enough lolligaggin'. Everybody remember the
plan?" She made a show of checking her equipment again,
giving her hands something to do, even as her mind raced at the
possibilities and the actuality of what was about to happen.

The regal leader of the X-men caught her gaze. "I am
aware of what needs to be done. I will stand watch here."

Betsy's smooth voice interrupted "You expended a great
deal of energy getting us here, Ororo. Are you certain it is safe
to leave you alone?"

"I appreciate your concern, but I am fine. Go."
Storm's weary voice held only a hint of its usual imperious tone,
and she held herself a bit taller. Beside her, Kitty glanced
sharply at her old friend but said nothing. Ororo's expression
softened and, if anything, became a bit sad. "I have handled
a great many things alone, Elisabeth. I will be fine."

Cable stepped forward, a flash of understanding on his face.
"You have a headset, Ororo- the rest of us do, too. Notify
the others at the slightest hint of trouble, got it?" Now
that he knew his partner- dammit, his lover, he could at least
admit to himself- was safe, Cable allowed himself to slip back
into full soldier mode. "You're professionals. You know what
to do. Meet back here in 15 minutes, with the scientists. If
you're gonna take later than that, use the headsets."
Adjusting his gear and weaponry yet again, he concluded,
"This is an in and out operation. Let's do it, people."

Satisfied with the obvious readiness of his team, he turned to
Domino, and was rather proud of himself when his voice remained
steady even when he looked directly at her. "Do you have
anything else to add?"

She shook her head and smiled, a tired, weary twist of the
lips. "Only-" She turned to address the group. "To
have fun storming the castle, kids."

In the highest spires of the fortress- really only the top
floor- a man sat alone in an opulent suite. Covered with
tapestries and rugs of the finest imaginable weave, boasting
furniture and art to make the wealthiest dealer quiver with envy,
the rooms were a marvel of luxury and design and a sharp contrast
to the spartan nature of therest of the compound.

He lay sprawled across a carved dais, one bare muscled leg
hooked over its side, golden head bent low over a leather bound
book written in a language yet to be invented. Crystal blue eyes
scanned the pages slowly, savoring favorite passages, and the
madness that usually lurked in them was dimmed for just a moment.

The door creaked open slowly, and a massive figure stepped in
the doorway, closing it behind him quietly. "Ummmm. . .
Sir?" The deep voice whispered, slicing through the quiet of
the room.

The muscles under the blond man's jaw worked tightly, and with
great difficulty he murmured in a clear voice with just the
slightest bit of a lisp "I thought I left orders never to be
disturbed in here."

The hulking dark man at the door- easily twice the size of the
man inside- turned ashen with fear at the tone. Stories of the
boss' punishments were legendary. "I. . . I'm sorry, sir, I
didn't. . .I mean...I thought-" He stammered, hoping that he
could just deliver the message and leave, praying he'd have a
chance to get away.

The man who for all intents and purposes was Tyler Dayspring
closed his eyes, and a sharp sigh escaped through clenched teeth.
"Ah. You thought. Jhonli, I don't pay you to think."
Regretfully closing the book, he laid it to the side, soft hands
caressing its cover lightly as he rose from his seat to cross the
room in several quick strides, lithe as a cat.

He stood before the quavering guard, moire dressing robe
hanging open, revealing a well muscled body lightly covered with
fine gold hair and nothing else. "Now whatever in the world
could be so important as to permit you to interrupt me in my
rest? You know how hard I work, Jhonli. This place is the only
respite I have from you barbarous cretins." The voice was
silken, now, with threads of anger woven in, and even though he
had to look up to the other man, it was apparant who was in
dangerhere.

Summoning up the last of his courage, Jhonli replied quickly
"Yes, sir, I know that, sir, but I was told that you were to
be informed immediately if-"

"Ah, do shut up." Tyler closed his eyes "This
is so much easier if you don't speak." Jhonli gasped aloud,
feeling his thoughts being taken from him even as his eyes saw
the images projected from the outstretched hand of the only psi
in the compound- or rather, the only one whose powers would work
through the very specifically tuned psionic null-field that
surrounded the fortress. Jhonli gaped, and saw his memories shape
and form, images of childhood, of his youth, of the love he'd
known, and despite himself his dark eyes brimmed with moisture
over the innocent he'd been.

Tyler watched the display, sensual lips curving slightly
upward in the handsome face, chiseled features twisting with
malicious glee as the next scenes continued to unfold. Jhonli
knew what came next, and tried to turn away, but the iron grip on
his mind controlled his body as well and forced his eyes to
remain wide open. Then, as Tyler's mutant power displayed the
scenes before him, it also slid itself deeper into his mind,
subtly applying pressure here and there, until Jhonli was
actually reliving the scenes as well as watching them as they
played out before him.

"No. . . please. . ." He whimpered, and it was such
a small sound to issue from so large a man. Tyler just smiled,
and applied more pressure, feeling himself tense in pleasure as
the lovely pain washed over all him.

Watching, reliving, Jhonli felt that innocence shift and warp
as he remembered- no, as he more than remembered, as he
experienced himself becoming increasingly involved in the dark
life of the streets, his parents and his wife and his son
distancing themselves from him as he grew increasingly more
violent and abusive. He relived the biggest mistakes of his life,
and felt his employer's mocking laughter through it all.

Tears running down his face, Jhonli fell to the ground and
curled into fetal position as he felt himself do it all again,
felt himself somehow burrow his way into the mercenary world,
into this cold and heartless life he'd found for himself. Jhonli
felt himself lose himself yet again, as he had so long ago, but
this time, somehow, it was far, far worse. He saw himself- he
felt himself- do things that as sick as he had been, he had never
done- things he would never do, and though he knew they were not
real, he *felt* himself experience them, felt the pain he caused,
felt the indignities and violations he had inflicted. He gagged,
wanting more than anything to vomit, but the man who had hold of
him would not let his body do so. Tyler just stared at him, blue
eyes alight with an almost sensual joy, relishing the pain,
savoring the other man's misery. Jhonli glared at him weakly,
unable to move, unable to think, unable to do anything except
relive an altered past that was his own and yet was not.

His own memories were bad enough, but he'd faced them every
time he closed his eyes. He'd come to terms with his past and
what he had done, but this- this violation, this forced intrusion
coated his thoughts with an oily malice, twisting even the little
good that was left in him into a warped mockery of what it had
been. Jhonli moaned.

Finally, Tyler yawned, dismissing his agony with the slightest
wave of his hand. "This begins to bore me." Quickly,
efficiently, he moved forward in his employee's mind until he
caught the most recent memories, the incident that had caused the
inexcusable interruption of his peace. He skimmed the memories
quickly, not expecting anything of importance, and actually
gasped aloud when he found what had brought the other man here.
In the other man's bruised and battered mind he saw the screen
the guard had been observing blink in alert and then saw him
register that the system had detected a level-one priority
mutagenic signatures. He read the corresponding code that
indicated immediate, personal notification of the boss himself,
and when he saw which particular signature it was, he felt
himself gasp with surprise and sharp, sharp pleasure. So she's
come back, after all.

Almost as an afterthought, he released his hold on the other
man, shivering in delight as implanted memories told him exactly
what her presence here meant. She's come back. And if I know
the old man, he's with her. He felt his body, this new body
grown from the cloning tanks on the bottom floor, grow even
harder and throb with anticipation. And he'll get what he
deserves for leaving me, and I'll pen the little bitch up again,
so she won't get away, and this time it'll be for good. This
time, Daddy dearest, you'll get what you deserve.

Completely unaware of Tyler's thoughts, aware of nothing save
the fact that his mind and body were once more his own, Jhonli
tried to sit up. Crawling up from the floor, he shuddered, huge
arms wrapped around himself as he rocked back and forth, a thin
trail of spittle hanging from his mouth. Tyler ignored him,
pacing back and forth with feverish excitement as plans and traps
within trapsspun in his thoughts.

Finally wresting control of himself, Jhonli shakily rose,
interrupting Tyler for the second time that day. "Did you
have to do that?" he spat, anger overriding his better
judgment, so furious at the violation he'd suffered that he spoke
without thought of the consequences. His voice rose to a loud
roar. "You sick bastard, you could have just taken what you
needed to know- did you have to do that? Did you have show me all
I've lost, twist what little I have left until it was black and
dirty, dirty as you are? What purpose did that serve?"

The jubilant expression remained, but the pale blue eyes slit
in annoyance. "You presume too much, little man. You are
fortunate to be alive- had you brought any other tidings than
those you did, you would not be. And as for loss- we all have
things which we have lost. I most of all." Implanted
memories flitted through his mind- memories of betrayal, of the
loss of his mother, of being left behind by his father, the one
man who was supposed to protect him, of the endless torture
ordered by Stryfe, of the madness that had slowly descended until
the only thing that mattered to him was revenge. Revenge, and
power enough to ensure that he'd never suffer like that again.
Never again suffer as this heap of human waste wassuffering right
now.

"Oh, get up," Tyler commanded sharply. "We have
work to do."

Staggering upright, unable to stand it any longer, Jhonli
snarled "Fuck you, clone," and ran out the door. Tyler
let him go, the mad light shining bright in his eyes as he began
making the necessary preparations for his "guests". He
sighed in annoyance at the way Jhonli had fled.

"Good help is so hard to find."

To Be Continued...

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto
you. Not as the world gives, give I unto you. Do not let your
hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
-John 14:27